The Raven

Animosity

Ray Mond was sitting in the court room paying close attention to the court proceedings. After their visit to the Clean Manor the previous night she was put to ease that the case would go smoothly but she was still nervous for her twin brother. Ray had been very aware that Yuno was capable of setting the world on fire but she was surprised to hear that he did it for Jean Paul. Then again Yuno had always been like that. Her brother always put his friendships over his own safety, he was noble like that.

"Yes Mr Lang I'll take a million dollars and dump Marty. 8070." What was April even saying? Ray ignored whatever conversation they were having to look at Yuno. On the table in front of him was the water bottle filled with vodka that Raymond Romanov gave to him the previous night.

"It's going to be okay. They'll be fine." April comforted Marty and held his hand. Ray Mond had been trying to ignore April and Marty's whispered conversation for the past hour or so but they were awfully distracting. She was slightly upset that her friend was too busy flirting and scamming someone for their money while her brother was possibly facing jail time.

The proceedings were long and tedious and Ray had a little trouble following all the legal jargon but she could tell that the case was going well...until she heard the redhead yell her mentors name. She was confused. Why would Ramee even attend the case, he typically spent his Saturday's doing god knows what out of town.

Just after April ran out of the court, Marty followed after her and the judge called for silence. Ray wanted to check if they were okay but they would have to wait, she needed to find out if her brother was going to have his freedom. It was already a miracle that they were allowed to go home everyday instead of sitting in jail awaiting their fate but Lang's money afforded them their comfort and one of the best lawyers in the city.

She was at the edge of her seat listening to the judge speak and felt a wave of relief when she heard that they were found innocent. She knew that they probably were guilty but she had never been so thankful for the connections Yuno had. Despite their disagreement on which gang to join she was happy that his family at least spared no expense in assuring his freedom. She didn't know if she could say the same for her gang.

Ray didn't want to beg for a chain and she understood that she went awol for a while but prior to that she had been loyal to them. There had been a point when the young woman threatened to shoot Yuno because Randy told her to. What more did they want from her?

She couldn't help but think back to the conversation she had with Randy on their way back from the Clean Manor. April had insisted that Randy drove the raven haired woman home because she wanted to sleep over at Miguel's place at the Hydra pit. The redhead claimed that the man had such a terrible sleeping schedule that he would be able to wake her up early enough that she would have time to do her make up. Ray couldn't shake the suspicion that the vlogger was lying. But it was April. Her girl who couldn't keep a secret for her life. She probably wanted to give her and Randy time to talk some stuff out.

The drive to the Alta Street Apartments was initially a silent one. They never really got to talk about anything significant since she returned. She didn't know if she wanted to have that conversation at all. It wasn't as if she even asked him out or anything. Perhaps that was what annoyed her the most about their conversation before she left. He spoke to her like she was a deluded child who had an insignificant crush.

"K said you aren't ready for a chain yet."

Her heart shattered at his serious voice. The reason Ray left her adoptive parents and moved to Los Santos was so she could find her real family. She'd always felt like she never truly belonged growing up and she'd left so that the feeling of belonging could finally settle within her. What she didn't anticipate was finding her brother already comfortable with a family of his own. CG was her closest thing to family.